The present invention relates to generally to the field of cell culture; and more particularly to a system that enables the observation and characterization of cultured cells, outside the environment of a cell culture incubator, over a desired period of time.
Genomics, proteomics, and drug discovery are generating a need for expanded versatility of applications for manipulating cell cultures, as well as a greater need for efficient and economical growth of cultured cells in high volume. For example, in developing and testing potential therapeutic agents (e.g., including, but not limited to, genetic vectors, genetic sequences, vaccines, drugs, growth factors, cytokines, and the like), it may often be desirable to visually characterize the response to cells after treatment with the therapeutic agent. Additionally, it may be desirable to visually evaluate the response of treated cells to various stimuli such as physical, chemical or environmental (e.g., temperature) stress. Typical cell response parameters include, but are not limited to, cell migration, cell adhesion, cell outgrowth (e.g., neurite outgrowth rate), cell division, induction of apoptosis, induction of molecule production (e.g., visible if labeled with a detectable label), and molecule movement (e.g., such as labeled by a fluorescent protein) during discrete stages of the cell cycle. As apparent to one skilled in the art, there are additional technologies (e.g., in vitro fertilization, and in vitro cloning) that could be advanced with better means for visualizing cellular interactions between cells in culture.
However, traditional cell culture devices and methods do not provide a simple, cost effective solution for applications related to visualization and characterization of cell growth, differentiation, or interactions in vitro. For example, while time-lapse videorecording is suitable for observation of individual cells at high magnification, traditional time-lapse image analyzers are both complex and costly. Additionally, maintaining a cell culture in traditional cell culture devices for visually observing response parameters requires that the cell culture device be placed in a controlled environment (e.g., conventional tissue culture incubator, or continual infusion of gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide and/or of fresh tissue culture medium).
Thus, there is a need for a cell culture system which provides: optimal gas transfer for a desired time period independently of instrumentation for supplying such gases (e.g., one or more of a traditional cell culture incubator, and a CO2 tank for supplying CO2 or a CO2/N2 mix); is adapted for achieving uniform heating of an individual cell culture; and enables visual observation of response parameters in a simple, cost-effective manner.
It is a primary object of the invention to maintain a desired temperature of cells cultured in a cell culture apparatus without the need of a traditional cell culture incubator.
It is another object of the invention to provide a controlled heater device that is adapted to uniformly heat cells cultured in the controlled heater device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a controlled heater device that is adapted to uniformly heat cultured cells, and that enables visual observation of cell response parameters in a simple, cost-effective manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a controlled heater device that is adapted to uniformly heat cultured cells, that enables visual observation of cell response parameters in a simple, cost-effective manner, and that provides optimal gas transfer for a desired time period and independently of instrumentation for supplying such gases.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a controlled heater device that is adapted to uniformly heat cultured cells, and that enables observation of cell response parameters by image analysis, such as by time-lapse videorecording.
Briefly, the invention provides for a controlled heater device, adapted to uniformly heat cultured cells, comprising a cell culture apparatus which provides optimal gas transfer through one or more of its surfaces, a transparent heater for heating cells cultured in the cell culture apparatus at a desired temperature; and may further comprise a power source for controlling the temperature of the controlled heater device, a transparent filter adapted to pass light of desired wavelengths therethrough, and a combination thereof. Preferably, the controlled heater device, because of alignment between its transparent components, provides an optical path that enables imaging of cells cultured in the controlled heater device (e.g., when imaged through a microscope).
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.